sheehy



(No Mbdel.)

'R. J. SHEEHY. ELECTRIC ARU LIGHTING SYSTEM.

Patented June 19, 1888.

WLTNESS INVENTOR .Robert 1 Skeeizy, By has ,rlltarneys 7 N, PETERS.Phdo-lmwgnphlr. Wishingtum n. cv

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.ROBERT J. SHEEHY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-ARC LIGHTING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,825, dated June 191883.

lN-- model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. SHEEHY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Lighting Systems, ofwhiehthe following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to the economical and practicalmanagement of electric lighting systems, and'more particularly toappliances for automatically reporting at a central station the failureof any lamp in circuit, and for indicating the locality of the troubleby reporting the particular number or other distinguishing character bywhich the defect-' ive lamp is designated, in order that it may be atonce visited by an inspector and the normal conditions of operationrestored.

In general my invention may be described as follows: I make use ofelectromagnetism, increasing correlatively with the resistance of theare of any one of several electric lamps situated in the same circuit,to actuate mechanism (when said resistance exceeds apredeterminedamount) whereby a special resistance is automatically and successivelyintroduced into and withdrawn from the main line a proper number oftimes to transmit the distinguishing number or signal assigned to thelight. This causes upon the main line a series of pulsations which areresponded to by an appropriate re porting mechanism at the centralstation, so that the operator there may be apprised of the locality ofthe trouble. The particular subject-matter claimed will be hereinafterspecifically designated.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure l is a theoretical diagram of an electric light system embodyingmy improvements, and Figs. 2 and 3are detailed views of certain portionsof the mechanism employed.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have therein shown ny improvements as applied toa system in which three lights, A A A, are operated upon the circuit ofan electric generator, D.

In conjunction with each lamp I have shown a mechanism, B B B, forinstituting upon the main line certain electric pulsations whe11 everone of the lamps is out of order, to be interpreted by the signalingdevice 0 at the central station, so that the operator at that point canascertain the designating number of the lamp in. trouble. The devices B,connected with each lamp, are similar to each other in all respects.vhave accordingly shown an end view at B, a transverse section at B, anda face view at B", and applied similar referenceletters to correspondingparts appearing in each view. The devices B are shown as contained inseparate cases, which are designed to be attached to the box containingthe regulating mechanism of the electric lamp. The mode of operating thedevices B will therefore be in a great measure dependent upon thecharacter of the lamp to which it is attached. I have illustrated inconnection with lamp A. the method of actuation which I prefer when thedevice is connected to the particular elec tric lamp for which I madeapplication for Letters Patent on October 10, 1882. In con nection withthe lamp A I have shown means of operating such device in connectionwith another electric lamp of different construction, for which Iapplied for Letters Patent on October 16, 1882.

Considering the operation of the device as connected with. lamp A, theelectrom-iagnet E is situated in a shunt-circuit spanning the electricarc, and its attractive force will ac cordingly be increased wheneverthe resist ance of said are becomes greater, and vice versa. Itsarmature F, acting in opposition to the adjustable spring G, will, whenthe attraction exceeds a predetermined strength, engage with thc'lever Fand then, acting through the latter, elevate the lever F", which carriesthe stops 1 and'P. In this manner the stop I is automatically withdrawnfrom the path of a pin, J, carried by the shaft K, and the latter isdisengaged and left free to revolve together with a time-trainmechanism'actuated by a spring contained in the drum L, and whichcomprises the wheels M to M and fan. 1V The shaft K carries a cam-wheel,N, provided in this instance with a single cam. A face view of a similarcam-wheel,N, is shown in connection with the lamp A, except that the 60strength of current and prevent further action latter is provided withthree cams. Detached views of the eseapement mechanism which I prefer touse in this connection are shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The stop I, in movingfrom the path of the pin J, allows the latter to slide behind the stop IAt a point near the end of a revolution the pin J will be arrested bythe stop I. \Vhen the lamp is restored to op eration, the lever 'F isreturned to its normal position, and the pin J assumes the positionshown in the figuresi. (a, in contact with the stop 1". The rotation ofthe cam-wheel N causes the lever O to be raised by the action of the camcarried thereby. Similarly a sin gle revolution of the cam-wheel N willcause three successive elevations of the lever O. \Vith each elevationthe main circuit which traverses said lever will be interrupted at thepoint 1?; but the current will still, traverse a shunt-cireuit includingan artificial resistance, R, which is capable of adjustment. There willtherefore be transmitted through the circuit a single pulsation in thecase ol the lamp A. \Vith a single revolution of the cam-wheel used inconjunction with the lamp A two such pulsations will be transmitted, andwith a revolution of the cam-wheel co-opcrating with lamp A threepulsations. This arrangement may be indefinitely extended in itsapplication, a device 13 being connected with each 01' alarge number oflamps, the only difference being in the number or manner of grouping ofthe cams employed in conjunction with each.

At the central station I provide a mechanism, C, prcierably consistingof an axial magnet or solenoid, Q, included in the main circuit, a core,Q", and lever S, properly adjusted by means ot'thc antagonistic spring Tto re spond to the said pulsations. Thus, suppos ing the lamp A to becut out of circuit, the consequent decrease of resistance will cause asingle stroke upon the bell, thus calling the attention of the attendantto the fact that one olthc lamps is out of order. The eam-whecl N willalso be revolved in the manner described. The elevation of the lever 0will introduce the resistance It, which is preferably about equal tothat of the are under its normal conditions. This allows the bellhammerU to drop. As soon as the resist ance R is withdrawn, the hammer isagain aetu atcd and a single stroke given, thus notifiying the operatorthat lamp No. 1 is out of order. This form of interpreting device I havedevised to be used in connection with an automatic currentgovernor-such,for example, as that shown in my application for Letters Patent datedNovember 7, 1882. Such a governor will immediately restore the normal ofthe bell until called into operation by similar difliculti es oecurrin gin any of the remaining lamps.

The device 13 used in conjunction with the lamp A, while similar in allrespects to that employed in conjunction with lamp A, is operated in asomewhat diil'erent manner. A dog X, may be used to sustain a weight,\V. \Vhen said dog is witlnlrawn by any lorce acting in opposition tothe spring )Lsuch, for example, as the force which operates the cut outmechanism of the lamp--thc weight will be released, which will descendupon and dc press the lever 1 and thereby actuate the shalt K in themanner described in connection with the lamp A.

It is evident that the mechanism may be set in operation not only by themagnet E and weight \V, but by equivalent mechanical and electricaldevices.

I do not narrowly limit myself to the exact devices shown; but

hat I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbelore set forth, of an electric lamp, a device under control of themechanism of said lamp for transmitting determinate pulsations toindicate the identity of said lamp, and a mechanism by which saidpulsations are employed to produce a distinctive signal at am otherpoint in the circuit.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbel'ore set forth, of anelectric lamp, a device set in operation byincreases in the resist anceof the arc of said electric lamp for transmitting the determinatepulsations to indicate the identity of said lamp, and'mechanism by whichsai d pulsations are employed to produce a distinctive signal atanotherpoint in the circuit.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of anelectric lamp, a camwheel set in revolution by an abnormal resist ancecreated in said lamp, a loop-circuit oi.

adj ustable resistance automatically introduced into the main circuit asmany times during a single revolution as there are cams upon saidcam-wheel, and an interpreting mechanism actuated with each introductionof said loopcircuit.

L. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of anelectro-nn1gnet actuated correlativel y with increases in the resistanceof the are 01' an electric lamp, escape ment mechanism actuated by saidelectroinagnet, aeam-wheel set in motion by said escapeinent mechanism,a series of cams 01' number selected to designate said lamp, and aresistance automatically introduced into the main circuit by therevolution of said camv wheel.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbelbre set forth, of anelectric light, a mainv circuit including alever, a loop-circuitincluding a resist-ance, a cam-wheel for automatically elevating saidlever, and thereby opening the main circuit a predetermined number oftimes, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of acircuit of electric lights, mechanism for establishing a definite numberof pulsations throughout said circuit scribed my name this 24th day ofNovember, immediately after the automatic withdrawal A. D. 1882. of anylight from said circuit, and before the normal strength of current isrestored by the ROBERT SHEEHX' 4f 5 action of the currentgovernor, and asignal- \Vituesses:

' ingdevice actuated first by the withdrawal of 4 DANIEL XV. EDGEOOMB,

the lamp and afterward by said pulsations. 'CHARLEs A. TERRY.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub-

